DAY 05

God's Establishes the Priesthood and Animal Sacrifices

Under the Law of Moses you were blessed if you obeyed all of God’s commandments and you were cursed if you broke any of his commandments. God knew that man could not and would not completely obey his commandments. In his great love and mercy he made a way for his people Israel to escape his judgment for sin. He told Moses to establish a priesthood and to offer animal sacrifices. The priesthood would oversee the animal sacrifices to ensure they were performed according to his instructions. God allowed his people to have a substitute. An innocent animal could take their place and receive their judgment when they sinned against God. Only innocent blood can atone for sin. God instructed Moses to offer a lamb at 9:00 every morning and at 3:00 every evening. If someone became unclean he would be cleansed at the morning or evening sacrifice. The person’s sin would be transferred to the animal and the animal would bear their sin and then be killed bearing the offenders judgment. The innocence of the animal would be transferred to the offender and he would be cleansed from his sin. Once a year on the Day of Atonement a bull and a goat would be sacrificed. They would bear the sins of the whole nation and Israel would be cleansed of their sins for one year. When an individual sinned he could bring an animal to the priest. The priest would examine the animal to ensure it was perfect without spot or blemish. The offender would lay his hands on the animals head. The sin would be transferred to the animal. The perfection of the animal would be transferred to the offender. The animal would be killed and the offender would leave free from his sin. The blood of the animal testified before God that the sin was paid for by the death of the animal therefore the blood of the animal justified the offender before God. The animal sacrifice system fell apart because man would not follow God’s instructions. The system was not perfect because of man’s sin nature. Eventually God’s judgment fell on his people and they were carried away into bondage. All Old Testament animal sacrifices are pictures of Jesus on the cross. Jesus became our perfect sacrificial Lamb. He bore the sins of the whole world once and for all. Our sins were transferred to Jesus and his perfect righteousness was transferred to us. God judged Jesus for our sins. Jesus died on the cross. His blood testifies to the Father that our sins have been paid for in full with his death. His blood justifies us before the Father. Jesus redeemed us from all sin by bearing our sins on the cross. Jesus redeemed us from the judgment for sin by bearing our judgment on the cross. We are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus. The Old Testament blood of bulls and goats could not permanently take away sins. However the blood of Jesus can permanently, once and for all, remove our sins from us forever.

Prayer

Father I thank you for sending me a Savior, a sacrificial Lamb, to bear my sins. I thank you Lord Jesus for becoming my substitute. I thank you for giving me your righteousness as a free gift.

Confession

I am the forgiven. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus my Lord. I am the redeemed of the Lord. I have been reconciled to my Father and I am perfect in his sight, for I am wearing the robe of righteousness that Jesus has freely given to me. I receive the abundance of his grace to heal me and prosper me.